Cutter and transfer device for fish canning machines



R. E. J. NoRDQUls-r 2,581,432 CUTTER AND TRANSFER DEVICE FOR FISH CANNING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 8, 1952 Filed June 27, 1946 Jan- 8, 1952 R. E. J. NoRDQUxsT 2,581,432

CUTTER AND TRANSFER DEVICE FOR FISH CANNING MACHINES Filed June 27, 1946 4 Sheets-Shee'tI 2 INVENTOR r' ATTORNEYS Jan. 8, 1952 R. E. J. NoRDQuxs-r 2,581,432

- CUTTER AND TRANSFER DEVICE FOR FISH CANNING MACHINESA INVENTOR ATTORNYS Jam 8, 1952 R. E. J. NORDQUIST CUTTER AND TRANSFER DEVICE FOR FISH CANNING MACHINES Filed June 27, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR v f l, f

ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 8, 1952 CUTTER AND TRANSFER DEVICE FOR FISH CANNING MACHINES Ronald E. J. Nordquist, Maplewood, N. J., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 27, 1946, Serial No. 679,849

8 Claims. l

The present invention relates to a fish canning machine and has particular reference to improved and simplified devices for cutting the fish into can sizes and for placing the cut pieces into a predetermined position to facilitate canning.

An object of the invention is the provision of devices in a canning machine wherein sh to be canned is cut into pieces of a predetermined length while the fish are maintained in a position which facilitates the cutting operation, the pieces of fish after being cut being turned into a different position which facilitates packing them into cans.

Another object is the provision of such devices wherein a rotary movement is utilized to facilitate turning of the sh pieces into proper position for canning.

Another object is the provision of devices wherein the portion of the fish to be cut off is releasably supported so that transfer of the flsh pieces to the turning device may be facilitated.

Another object is the provision of devices wherein the cut pieces of fish are transferred from the support to the turning device in time with the cutting operation.

Another object is the provision of a pivotally mounted rotatable cutter which is movable toward and away from the sh in time with the other operating parts of the machine to facilitate transverse cutting of the sh while the sh are fed into the machine in an endwise relation.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan View of a portion of a fish canning machine embodying the instant invention, with parts broken away;

Figs. 2 and 3 taken together illustrate a side elevation of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation, with parts broken back and parts shown in section; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Fig. 1.

As va preferred embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate the fish entrance end-of a machine for cutting sh A (Fig. 1) such as salmon and the like into measured lengths B and for packing these sh pieces into cans. The invention relates to only that portion of the machine which cuts the fish into predetermined lengths and then turns the cut pieces into a position convenient for placing them into the cans. f

The fish A after dressing are fed endwise into the machine by an endless chain conveyor II (Figs. 2 and 5) having spaced spikes I2 on which the fish are impaled for advancement with the conveyor, the tail of one fish being inserted into the belly of the next following fish. The machine end of the conveyor operates over a driving sprocket I3 which is mounted on a drive shaft I. The drive shaft is journaled in bearing brackets I5 bolted onto a frame I5 which may be the main frame of the canning machine. The drive shaft I4 preferably is intermittently rotated in any suitable manner in time with the other moving parts of the machine so that the fish are advanced in an intermittent or step-bystep movement.

During this advancement of the sh by the conveyor II, the fish are supported and guided by a runway 2l having a floor 22 and spaced and parallel side guide rails 23. The floor of the runway is formed with a clearance slot 24 for the conveyor II. The machine end of the runway is supported on members 25 which extend out from the bearing brackets I5.

The sh moving along the runway 2I are located in a predetermined position prior to cutting by a stationary stop plate or gauging element 28 disposed adjacent the inner end of the runway. This stop plate extends across the end of the runway and is located in spaced relation therefrom a distance equal to the length of the piece to be severed from the fish. The stop plate is secured to the upper end of a web 29 (Fig. 4) formed on a bearing bracket 3| bolted to the machine frame I6.

During a. feeding movement of the intermittently operated conveyor II the innermost sh A in the line passing along the runway is advanced beyond the end of the runway until the forward end comes into engagement with the stop plate 28. This engagement arrests further advancement of the fish and thus locates the front end of the fish a predetermined measured distance from the inner end of the runway.

Cutting off of this measured length of fish is effected preferably by a rotatable disc cutter or knife 35 which is disposed closely adjacent the inner end of the runway 2I. The cutter is mounted in a vertical position on a shaft 36 journaled in a bearing 31 formed on the inner end of a swing arm 38. The pivot end of the swing arm is loosely mounted on a rotatable sprocket shaft 39 which serves as a pivot shaft for the arm. The shaft is carried in a pair of spaced bearing brackets 4l which are secured to the machine frame I5 in any suitable manner.

In cutting oif the sh the swing arm 38 is rocked vertically at the time advancement of the fish stops along the runway 2|. This movement of the arm swings the cutter 55 from a normal position above the runway through an arcuate path of travel across and close to the inner end of the runway. During this movement of the arm the cutter cuts across the fish projecting beyond the inner end of the runway and thus severs a fish piece B from the sh mass. As soon as the fish piece B has been severed, the cutter immediately returns to its normal position above the runway while the severed fish piece is removed and the remaining fish in the runway is advanced for another cutting operation,

The swinging movement of the arm 33 pref; erably is brought about by a vertical connecting rod 43 (Figs. l, 2) the upper end of which eX- tends through an opening 44 in the arm and is mounted on a pivot pin 55. The ends of this pivot pin are carried in bearings 45 formed in the arm adjacent the clearance opening 45.

The lower end of the connecting rod 53 is secured into an eccentric block 49 (Fig. 2) which surrounds an eccentricl'i formed on a horizontal drive shaft 52. This drive shaft is journaled in bearing brackets 53 bolted to the machine frame i6 and is rotated in any suitable manner in time with the conveyor I i.

Rotation of the cutter is. effected continuously and at a high rate of speed through a 'sprocket and chain connection with the drive shaft 52. For this purpose, the cutter shaft 36 carries a sprocket 55 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is driven by an endless chain 51. The chain `operates over a sprocket 58 mounted on the sprocket shaft 39 (see also Fig. 4). The sprocket 58 formed integrally with a smaller driven sprocket ,59 which is rotated by an endless drive chain Si. This drive chain is driven by a main drive sprocket 52 carried on the drive shaft 52.

During the fish locating and cutting operation the portion of the fish that extends beyond and ahead of the runway 2| is supported on a pivotally mounted shelf or movable support E5 (Fig. 5) which extends under the stop plate 28 and spans the space between this plate and the inner end of the runway 2 I. The shelf is formed on the lower end of a support arm SB which is mounted on a cross shaft 51. lThe shaft is carried in a pair of spaced bearings 5B, 59 (Figs. l and 4) The bearing S8 is formed on a web portion 1i which extends out laterally from the stop plate 28. The bearing is formed on one of the sprocket/shaft bearings 4I.

As soon as the cutter 35 has severeda Ifish piece B from the fish mass A, the support shelf '65 is withdrawn from supporting position and this releases the cut fish Vpiecewhich fallsinto a position for transfer to another portion of the machine. The sh piece during cutting is in a horizontal position, lying on its back this being the position in which the iish is conveyed alone the runway 2|.

The withdrawal of the support shelf E5 is brought about by cam action operating -in time with the cutter swing arm 38. For this purpose the cross shaft 61 carries a lever 14 (Figs. 1 and 2) the outer end of which is connected to a depending actuating rod 15. The lower Aend of the rod is secured into a cam yoke 16 which straddles the drive shaft 52 adjacent an edge cam 11 mounted f, advancing along the runway 2l.

on the drive shaft. vThe yoke carries a cam roller 18 which operates on the cam. The roller is held against the cam by a spring 19 (Fig. 2). One end of the spring is hooked into a hole in the lever 14 while the opposite end is fastened to a lug 8| formed on the adjacent sprocket shaft bearing 4|. Rotation of the cam 11 with the drive shaft 52 raises and lowers the rod 15 and thus rocks the cross shaft 51 and the support shelf 65 connected thereto through a withdrawing stroke and thence through a return stroke.

Upon the withdrawal of the support shelf 55 the released sh piece B is immediately pushed downwardly Aout of the path of travel of the fish This transfer of the sh pieceB is effected by a transfer finger unit (Fig. 4) which is disposed adjacent the space between the stop plate 28 and the inner end of the runway.

There are two transfer fingers of the nger unit, designated by the numeral and they are disposed on opposite sides of a rotatable hub 86 (Figs. l and 5). The hub is mounted on an actuating shaft 81 journaled in a long horizontal bearing 88 projecting outwardly from the web 1| of the stop plate 28. The shaft is rotated continuously by a gear 89 which is mounted on the outer end of the shaft. The gear 89 is rotated in the proper direction by a meshing gear 9| which is mounted on a short shaft S2 journaled in a long bearing 53 formed on the stop plate web 1|.

The short shaft 92 is driven by 'a sprocket 94 mounted on the outer end of the shaft. This sprocket is rotated b'y an endless chain 95 (see a Figs. l, 2 and 4) which also operates over a pair of idler sprockets 95, 91 mounted on studs 98 secured in long bosses 99 projecting outwardly from the web 29 of the bearing bracket 3|. The chain is operated by 'a sprocket IGI carried on the drive shaft 52.

Hence as the drive shaft 52 rotates, it operates the transfer fingers 85 in time with the cutter swing arm 35 and the other operating parts of the machine. The fingers rotate 'conlinucusl'y and alternate in 'pushing cut fish pieces B out of the cut-'o position in the machine. Guide rails |52 secured to the sides of the runway v2i guide the nsh pieces during this transfer.

The 'cut fish pieces B during their transfer are received in a movable turn-'over device |55 (Figs. e and 5) which operates to turn the fish pieces from a horizontal .position into a vertical position to facilitate packing them into cans. This turn-over device comprises va rotatable tur'- ret E65 having a plurality cf radial pockets |81. The turret is mounted von a turret shaft |58 which is carried in the bearing bracket 3| and in a similaibearing bracket its bolted to the machine frame l5.

The turret shaft |58 is rotated intermittently in order to bring each pocket |51 into alignment with the stop pla-te 28 and with the transfer fingers 35 for receiving the sh pieces B. This intermittent motion is brought about by an indexing disc i l2 which-is mounted on the turret -shaft |53. The disc carries a plurality of cam rollers H3, Ione for each pocket m1, and these rollers are individually engageable in an interrupted cam groove H4 of a barrel cam H5 carried on the drive shaft 52. This is 'a conventional indexing mechanism.

Hence as the `drive shaft '52 rotates, it tur-ns the 'cam H5 in time with the operation of `the cutter swing arm 38. For each rotation of the cam, one cam roller IIS is engaged in the cam groove ||4 and is advanced angularly a distance sufficient to rotate the turret I l2 from one pocket |01 to the next succeeding pocket. In this manner a new pocket is presented, each time the turret is rotated, for the reception of the following fish piece B. rlhis same rotation of the turret carries a received fish piece B resting in its pocket |01, through one or more idle positions or stations and thence brings it into a vertical position, i. e., at an angle of ninety degrees from the stop plate 28. It is this turned position that is desirable to facilitate packing of the fish pieces into cans.

While the fish piece B is in its turned position and While the turret |535 is stationary after one of its rotations, the cut fish piece is swept out of its turret pocketl and is advanced toward the canning end of the machine. This is done while maintaining the fish in its turned position. Removal of the fish piece from its turret pocket |01 is effected by a continuously rotating star wheel |20 (Fig. 1) having a plurality of fish propelling paddles or fingers iii. This star wheel is mounted on the upper end of a vertically'disposed shaft |22 journaled in a bearing |23 (Fig. 2) in the machine frame i6. The shaft is rotated in any suitable manner in time with the other moving parts of the machine.

As a finger |2| sweeps through a pocket |07 of the turret it pushes out the turned fish piece and propels it along a curved path of travel toward the canning machine. A curved runway |24 of the canning machine is disposed adjacent the star wheel for guiding and supporting the moving sh pieces in their turned position. This runway includes a support plate |25, a pair of spaced and parallel side guides |2t, and an upper support bearing |21 for the shaft |22.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a fish canning machine, the combination of cutter means for cutting fish into pieces of predetermined measured length, a conveyor for feeding fish into said cutter means, a stop plate gauge located beyond said conveyor and in the path of the sh for gauging the length of fish to be cut, a pivotally mounted support adjacent said cutter means for supporting the pieces of fish to be cut off while being gauged and while being cut, a rotatable turret adjacent said cutter means and having a plurality of pockets for receiving the cut fish pieces and for turning them into a different position, a transfer finger for engaging the fish pieces after cutting and for 'moving them into a turret pocket, and a rotatable feeding device having a plurality of feeding fingers movable through the pockets of said turret for removing the turned fish pieces from said turret and for advancing them in their turned position for canning.

2. In a fish canning machine, the combination of means for cutting sh into pieces of predetermined measured length, a pivotally mounted support arm having a shelf thereon for supporting the part of the fish to be cut by said cutting means, rotatable means located below said cutting means for receiving the cut fish pieces and for turning them into a different position for canning, means for swinging said shelf on its pivotal mounting from fish supporting position as the fish is cut, transfer means disposed above said shelf, and means for moving said transfer means against the fish when said support shelf has been removed from supporting position for transferring the cut fish piecesto said rotatable means.

3. In a fish canning machine, the combination of means for cutting sh into pieces of predetermined measured length, an intermittently rotatable turret having radial pockets thereon disposed below said cutting means, actuating means for moving said turret to position one of said pockets beneath the measured fish being cut for receiving a cut fish piece preparatory to turning it into a different position for canning, a rotatable transfer iinger disposed between said cutting means and said roatable turret for transferring the cut sh pieces to said rotatable turret, means for rotating said transfer finger in time with said cutter means to engage said cut fish pieces when said turret pocket is in receiving position, and rotatable means movable through the pockets of said turret when the latter is at rest for removing the turned fish pieces from said pockets and advancing said pieces for a subsequent canning operation.

4. In a fish canning machine, the combination of means for cutting fish into pieces of predetermined length, means for conveying fish to said cutting means, gauge means located in the path of the fish adjacent saidv cutting means and engageable by the fish for determining the length of, a fish piece to be cut, a rotatable turret having peripheral pockets therein disposed adjacent said cutting means for receiving the cut fish pieces and for turning them into a different position for canning, and an intermittently removable support means for the cut fish pieces disposed between said conveying means and said turret.

5. In a fish canning machine, the combination of means for cutting fish into pieces of predetermined measured length,` a movably mounted support member adjacent said cutting means for supporting each measured piece of sh to be cut, means for moving said support member from supporting position beneath each cut piece of fish to release the latter, a rotatable turret having peripheral pockets therein disposed adjacent said cutting means for receiving the cut fish pieces and for turning the same into a different position for canning, and a movable transfer member mounted adjacent said support member for successively transferring the cut fish pieces from supported position to said rotatable means at intervals when said support member is temporarily moved from fish supporting position by its said moving means.

6. In a fish canning machine, the combination of means for cutting sh into pieces of predetermined length, means for conveying fish to be cut to said cutting means, a pivotally mounted shelf disposed beneath said cutting means for supporting a measured piece of fish to be cut, means for swinging said shelf on its pivotal mounting into and out of fish supporting position, a turret having peripheral pockets therein rotatably mounted beneath said cutting means for receiving the successive fish pieces and for turning them into a different position for canning, and a rotatable transfer nger disposed above said turret adjacent said cutting means for successively forcing the cut pieces of fish down into the respective pockets of said rotatable turret at intervals when said shelf is temporarily swung out of iish supporting position.

7. In a nsh canning machine, the combination of means for cutting fish into pieces of predetermined length, a movable support member for the cut iisli pieces disposed adjacent said out` ting means and having means for intermittently moving` said member into and out of sh supporting position, a rotatable turret mounted adjacent said cutting means and having a plurality of pockets therein, a rotatable transfer finger disposed between said cutting means and said pieces in their aforesaid vertical position for can ning.

8. In a iish canning machine, the combination of a runway, means :for conveying fish lengthwise through said runway, a rotatable cutter movably mounted above said runway for transversely cutting ish into pieces of predetermined length, a pivotal mounting for said cutter, means for rotating said cutter, means for bodily swinging said cutter toward and away from the fish on said runway for cutting the fish into said pieces, a movable shelf for the cut fish pieces disposed beneath said cutter adjacent the end of said runway, said shelf having means for intermittently moving the same into and out of iish supporting position, a rotatable turret having peripheral pockets therein disposed adjacent said shelf and cutter for receiving the cut nsh pieces and for turning them into a diierent position for canning, means for rotating said turret in time with the swinging movement of said cutter, and a rotatable transier nger disposed between said cutter and said support shelf for successively transferring the out fish pieces into the respective pockets of said turret.

RONALD E. J. NORDQUIST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 890,250 Thompson June 9, 1908 1,827,553 Algeo et ai. Oct. 13, 1931 1,935,891 Schroeder Nov. 21, 1933 2,037,724 Jacobs et al. Apr. 21, 1936 2,044,813 Rooney June 23, 1936 2,164,285 Schutz June 27, 1939 2,175,177 Butler Oct. l0, 1939 2,226,019 Rooney Dec. 24, 1940 2,246,839 Christiansen June 24, 1941 

